1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus permitting either the patient or a caregiver to adjust the positions of a segmented bed-chair combination to facilitate comfort and relief from discomfort along with ease of patient transfer from the bed to a wheel chair, toilet, walker or other apparatus associated with treatment, change of bed clothing and hygienic maintenance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Immobility and prolonged confinement present both psychological and physically evident pathological problems to patients, ranging from malaise, depression, feelings of helplessness and loss of motivation on the one hand to decubitus ulcers, loss of local circulation and unsanitary dermatologic insult from waste products, or edema of extremities and gangrene on the other. Not only are patients affected by these conditions but so too are the responsible caregivers who must lift, turn, wash, change bed and clothing, arrange for food and dispose of waste. Such operations often require that attendants have a high level of strength and skill to move and reposition the patient, regardless of the patient's size or weight.
To address various aspects of these problems, a number of devices have been developed. Among these is the cradling and articulated bed disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,598, held by one of the inventors of the instant device. The subject bed is capable of widening and narrowing to create either a flat bed surface or a cradle bed surface. In addition, the supporting surface is capable of powered rotation either to one side or the other allowing the patient to be rolled easily and it is further capable of elevating a head portion, a thigh portion and a calf portion to permit the patient to be moved to a multitude of reclining and seated positions. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated by reference herein.
U.S Pat. Nos. 4,085,471 and 4,190,913, to DiMatteo et al, are directed to invalid bed arrangements which allow a patient to use a toilet without leaving the bed or, alternatively, for placing a patient in a wheel chair. The bed is divided into three sections comprised of head, central and foot sections. The bed can be manipulated to elevate a patient from a supine to an upright seated position for using a toilet or movement into a wheel chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,829, to Watanabe et al, discloses a patient carrier that transfers a patient from cooperating bed systems to cooperating wheel chairs. The apparatus comprises a carrier with three groups of forks that are insertable into slots in the bed mat or seat and back rests of a wheel chair thereby permitting the patient to be moved from one to the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,988, to Cary et al, discloses a bed assembly that has a plurality of mattress support members that can be moved to provide a variety of patient positions from fully reclining to various seated positions with legs angled and supported. Alternatively, the apparatus facilitates turning of the patient by permitting elevation of one side or the other of the mattress support
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,432,353 and 4,763,643, both to Vrzalik, disclose a kinetic treatment table for a therapeutic insulating bed. The bed is capable of being lifted or lowered, tilted at an angle, and is further capable of raising a portion of the bed to prop a patient into an upright position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,615, to Furniss, discloses a device for raising and transporting patients involving a tiltable platform and hinged head and foot platforms. U.S. Pat. No. 276,756, to Persson, shows an apparatus for turning a person confined to a bed and U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,722, to Thompson, discloses a bed with an adjustably tensionable patient supporting net. The bed has a cradle-like frame supported for pivotable movement by a base frame.
In the foregoing, various aspects of patient movement have been addressed. However, none of the systems address the multitude of other problems encountered by either the caregiver or the patient. In particular, none gives the patient the ability to adjust his/her body position and thus take control over somatic movement which action yields many important psychological benefits. Moreover, each is focused on a particular patient problem to the exclusion of related issues, some of them created by the attempt to solve the problem at hand. Furthermore as a group they are cumbersome and most are needlessly arcane in their approach to solving a problem.